if you were looking at it like i was coming at it from a religious point of view then you're wrong wrong wrong. haha. it's just like i said. i wouldn't wish some of this shit on my worst enemy. and spiffy you know what marine stands for right? muscles are required, intelligence not essential. haha.

At 7/24/09 07:35 PM, SpiffyMasta wrote:
Haven't you seen that picture of the fat body in the new "tactical" shirt the Army has with his gut hanging out the bottom carrying pizzas.

That sums up the Army real nice too lol.

I wish I could find the picture, my buddy showed it to me.

no i haven't but it does sum it up for the most part. haha. there's a big difference between army infantry and army everybody else though. the fobbits are the ones who sit in the ac and get fat while buyin all the shit out of the px when the real men are on patrol so there isn't shit left when we get back. haha. my favorite army pics though are the commercials of the high speed guys running into a room in brand new uniforms with brand new m4s. haha. out in the field people get NASTY. nobody has uniforms that pretty.

At 7/24/09 03:20 PM, B4gle wrote:
Can I join if I'm going to join the army?

Yea you're more than welcome to join our crew! Personally I fleed Canada to come here and be in a real military, I don't know why you want to be in the Canadian Army. Seriously, I was born in and lived in Canada for 18 years and now I'm a U.S. Marine.

I figured since I wanted to fly planes, I had a better chance with a military that didn't have just 5 of them.

At 7/26/09 10:12 AM, TehreTard wrote:
I'm currently a Poolee leaving for Boot Camp in October. Mind if I join?

Marine Corps, by the way.

I'm sure no one would mind if you joined, so I'll give you the un-offical welcome.

Yea, I decide who joins, thanks. I will give you the official welcome to the club.

I will also give you a welcome to the Marine Corps, but since you're headed to boot in October, I consider you a maggot until you finish.

HA HA, I'm just kidding. Boot isn't that hard, trust me. It's a lot easier than people make it to be. Just stay under the radar. You'll get fucked up once in a while by yourself, and you'll get fucked up as a group all the time.
Just remember two things: Don't take anything personal, it's all a game basically.
Second, you will fuck up, your platoon will fuck up, the Drill Instructors will fuck you up for any reason they can find. Any down time you have they will play games with you. It ends eventually, until the next day lol.

If you have any other questions about boot camp, I'm your man, I'm pretty sure I remember most of it. It's engraved in my brain.

At 7/26/09 06:29 PM, SpiffyMasta wrote:
Second, you will fuck up, your platoon will fuck up, the Drill Instructors will fuck you up for any reason they can find. Any down time you have they will play games with you. It ends eventually, until the next day lol.

Yeah, I figured that would be an absolute when I'm finally there. All the guys who graduated and came back to our RSS would tell us how they would be forced to do stupid crap instead of exercises for a screw up. Like emptying your footlocker and then putting everything back in.

If you have any other questions about boot camp, I'm your man, I'm pretty sure I remember most of it. It's engraved in my brain.

Cool, I was wondering about the first week. You know, where you fill out your forms and they check your background and everything. They don't examine you naked when you first get there, do they? Oh yeah, during PT, do you remember the exercises and the reps you had to do? I kinda get the feeling that the DI's might make us do 20 pull-ups on the first official day of Boot Camp.

At 7/26/09 08:10 PM, TehreTard wrote:
Yeah, I figured that would be an absolute when I'm finally there. All the guys who graduated and came back to our RSS would tell us how they would be forced to do stupid crap instead of exercises for a screw up. Like emptying your footlocker and then putting everything back in.

Yea, putting it in a pile in the middle of the squadbay if fun too, everybody's stuff mixed in. Moving your racks around, making your beds (never fast enough), Running from one spot to the other (one end of the squadbay, then cram everyone in the bathroom or showers), finding something in your footlocker, putting it back. Bunch of crap. When they do individual punishment it's usually IT (you'll learn this very well Incentive Training) where you basically do consistent exercises (pushups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers(those are the worst), anything basically) for *5 minutes**cough**longer**cough*.

Cool, I was wondering about the first week. You know, where you fill out your forms and they check your background and everything. They don't examine you naked when you first get there, do they?

Once you're in Recruit Depot no. They do give you a full physical at your MEPS (you should probably already have done that) so that's all they need. Processing basically consists of issuing your initial gear, haircuts, shots, dental exams, various other things for like 1 to 5 days. It basically depends on when you get there during the week, because they wait to get enough people to finally form a whole company (3 to 8 platoons depending on the time of year).

Oh yeah, during PT, do you remember the exercises and the reps you had to do? I kinda get the feeling that the DI's might make us do 20 pull-ups on the first official day of Boot Camp.

Honestly, PT in boot camp is a cakewalk. What kind of shape are you in?

Just remember they basically want to make sure that the guys that are in the worst shape going in (they rarely hold back anyone for lacking physical shape) get better. So PT really isn't that hard. You should try Officer Candidate school for some hard PT.

At 7/26/09 08:42 PM, SpiffyMasta wrote:
When they do individual punishment it's usually IT (you'll learn this very well Incentive Training) where you basically do consistent exercises (pushups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers(those are the worst), anything basically) for *5 minutes**cough**longer**cough*.

Once you're in Recruit Depot no. They do give you a full physical at your MEPS (you should probably already have done that) so that's all they need.

Yeah, that's good. I had an elderly doctor squeeze my balls during MEPS, I was afraid I would have to repeat that process, but thanks man.

Honestly, PT in boot camp is a cakewalk. What kind of shape are you in?

So-so shape. For the IST, I could do 8 pull-ups (which is bad, since they're raising the pull-ups minimum to 10 in the IST), around 66 sit-ups (which they might raise from 50 to 60 in 2-minutes, or even 100, not sure what our boss recruiter said), and I can usually make it in time during the run (which they might change to under 11 minutes).

Just remember they basically want to make sure that the guys that are in the worst shape going in (they rarely hold back anyone for lacking physical shape) get better. So PT really isn't that hard. You should try Officer Candidate school for some hard PT.

You mean MECEPS, right? That's good though, I was afraid that I'd get discharged for not being in the best of shape. Anyway, some of the guys who came back from Boot Camp told us to never go to Medical for ANYTHING. According to them, it was pretty much a death sentence to your goal of being a Marine. One guy messed up his ankle pretty badly during the Crucible but he didn't dare tell anyone about it. He still graduated, by the way.

Is Medical a sure place to get discharged or is that just a load of bull?

Yea you'll love doing exercise on cement and see your own pool of sweat develop. Waht's worst is when they IT outside, and once you've been sweating enough, they make you stick your face in the dirt/sand and roll around and then you're just completely muddy. It's really tight.

Yeah, that's good. I had an elderly doctor squeeze my balls during MEPS, I was afraid I would have to repeat that process, but thanks man.

Yea it's always old guys, which is really weird....

So-so shape. For the IST, I could do 8 pull-ups (which is bad, since they're raising the pull-ups minimum to 10 in the IST), around 66 sit-ups (which they might raise from 50 to 60 in 2-minutes, or even 100, not sure what our boss recruiter said), and I can usually make it in time during the run (which they might change to under 11 minutes).

Jesus the minimum standards are much higher than they used to be, wow! When I went in you had to do three pull ups, but usually recruiters let you slide in with less, because I saw guys that graduated that couldn't even do one damn pullup... YEA!

I went in doing 5 pull ups 40-50 crunches and a 13-14 minute 1 and a half mile on my initial PFT to a 15 pull up, 100 crunches, 22 minute 3 mile on my final. You'll be fine.

You mean MECEPS, right?

No OCS is Officer Candidate School, basically boot camp for Officers, which is what i'm gonna be doin next summer. Just to get in I'm gonna need a 270 PFT.

That's good though, I was afraid that I'd get discharged for not being in the best of shape. Anyway, some of the guys who came back from Boot Camp told us to never go to Medical for ANYTHING. According to them, it was pretty much a death sentence to your goal of being a Marine. One guy messed up his ankle pretty badly during the Crucible but he didn't dare tell anyone about it. He still graduated, by the way.

Is Medical a sure place to get discharged or is that just a load of bull?

It's a load of bull. Look, if you got something serious you go to medical. You're better off going and catching whatever you got early so it doesn't get worse. You'll get sick in Boot, I guarantee it, just because you're living with 85 other guys. If you feel like shit (get the flu or something) and you REALLY can't tough it out, go to medical. Your drill instructors will make fun of you and tell you you;re a pussy or whatever, but you're better off going then not.

What will get you discharged is a major injury. Can't really avoid those, so if it happens, it happens. If you're close to the end and you get a bad injury, I don't suggest you necessarily go to medical, cause being stuck in the recovery platoon at boot camp sucks big balls, much better when you're at least out of boot. But hey, if you can't walk, go to medical. If it's easily fixable (sprain or something) they won't discharge you. If you need crutches, probability is they might keep you back. But they will do everything they can to not discharge you and make you graduate.

At 7/26/09 10:12 AM, TehreTard wrote:
I'm currently a Poolee leaving for Boot Camp in October. Mind if I join?

Marine Corps, by the way.

I'm sure no one would mind if you joined, so I'll give you the un-offical welcome.

Yea, I decide who joins, thanks. I will give you the official welcome to the club.

Dude, I wasen't trying to impose on you being the leader of this crew or anything I was just being friendly.

Also I have a question about boot camp.. I've seen in movies and shows of people picking on other people and pulling pranks and stuff like that on certain people in bootcamp... the movie Full Metal Jacket comes to mind.

Does shit like that actually happen often? I don't want to get bullied around by everyone else and I don't like seeing people get bullied around either.

You have to draw the line of determination from desperation. What is truly yours would eventually be yours, and what is not, no matter how hard you try, will never be.

At 7/28/09 12:51 AM, B4gle wrote:
Dude, I wasen't trying to impose on you being the leader of this crew or anything I was just being friendly.

Yea I know, don't worry bout it. Can't take shit I say personal.

Also I have a question about boot camp.. I've seen in movies and shows of people picking on other people and pulling pranks and stuff like that on certain people in bootcamp... the movie Full Metal Jacket comes to mind.

If you're a shitbag it will happen to you yes. I remember we did that to the guys that were shitbags during the last couple of days. Hit them with shit in the middle of the night, it was fucking hilarious. Not as bad as Full Metal Jacket though. I wouldn;t worry about it too much as long as you're not a complete tool.

Does shit like that actually happen often? I don't want to get bullied around by everyone else and I don't like seeing people get bullied around either.

There's not really bullying in a sense, yea some people get it harder than others, but like I said, if you screw everybody over, people are gonna be pissed at you. Also there's a bunch of guys loaded with testosterone, you're bound to not get along with everyone... It's the fucking military, you can't be a bitch, know what I mean?

At 7/27/09 10:12 PM, SpiffyMasta wrote:
It's a load of bull. Look, if you got something serious you go to medical. You're better off going and catching whatever you got early so it doesn't get worse. You'll get sick in Boot, I guarantee it, just because you're living with 85 other guys. If you feel like shit (get the flu or something) and you REALLY can't tough it out, go to medical. Your drill instructors will make fun of you and tell you you;re a pussy or whatever, but you're better off going then not.

What will get you discharged is a major injury. Can't really avoid those, so if it happens, it happens. If you're close to the end and you get a bad injury, I don't suggest you necessarily go to medical, cause being stuck in the recovery platoon at boot camp sucks big balls, much better when you're at least out of boot. But hey, if you can't walk, go to medical. If it's easily fixable (sprain or something) they won't discharge you. If you need crutches, probability is they might keep you back. But they will do everything they can to not discharge you and make you graduate.

But don't be a pussy either.

that last line is really the most important one of this whole thing. spiffy has the system down for sure, and this is exactly the same way it is in the army, so i'd assume it is that way in every branch. medical will take care of you, but i didn't go to medical once the whole time i was in osut. if it isn't broke don't try and fix it. being the pussy that goes to sick call all the time is gonna make life shitty for you. just suck up the training, do what you can to stay at least healthy enough to train, and graduate. honestly you shouldn't even be thinking about this type of thing right now though. focus on what you have to do, not how to get out of it. and sorry i've been gone spiffy. but everybody here who's been reading his posts, i went through them all and i have no conflict of interest with any of them. guy knows his shit.

The sandbox. I don't know that it was much of a combat zone it was pretty quiet. There's not a lot of regions where there's a lot of activity right now in Iraq. But it was boring as fuck. Seriously I can't even imagine being there for as long as the Army goes (they have really long deployments). Mine was only 6 months.

The sandbox. I don't know that it was much of a combat zone it was pretty quiet. There's not a lot of regions where there's a lot of activity right now in Iraq. But it was boring as fuck. Seriously I can't even imagine being there for as long as the Army goes (they have really long deployments). Mine was only 6 months.

LUCKYYYY. my unit did a 15 month deployment to iraq right before i got there, and a year later they went to afghanistan for a year long deployment. they'll be back in february. they told me a week before i was supposed to go that i couldn't because of my hearing loss. such bullshit. i'm still pissed as hell over it.

At 7/28/09 06:30 PM, michelinman wrote:
LUCKYYYY. my unit did a 15 month deployment to iraq right before i got there, and a year later they went to afghanistan for a year long deployment. they'll be back in february. they told me a week before i was supposed to go that i couldn't because of my hearing loss. such bullshit. i'm still pissed as hell over it.

Yea I know those deplyments are just way too long in the Army. How did you lose your hearing anyway?

Yea I know those deplyments are just way too long in the Army. How did you lose your hearing anyway?

in a way that was entirely worth it. the greatest weapon in the military. i was a 50 cal gunner for about 8 months, and after that we had a guy that used to be a driver that wasn't in as good as shape as me, but was damn good with the 50, and we were short a dismount, so i sacrificed it for an m249 and a dismount slot for a change of scenery. those little rope seats for the gunner in humvees are uncomfortable as shit. haha. my ears haven't stopped ringing since june of 08 though when we were doing a live fire exercise and i dumped 5 cans on this house in like 2 minutes. haha. i forget about it until someone points it out.

At 7/28/09 07:39 PM, michelinman wrote:
my ears haven't stopped ringing since june of 08 though when we were doing a live fire exercise and i dumped 5 cans on this house in like 2 minutes. haha. i forget about it until someone points it out.

Yea I know those deplyments are just way too long in the Army. How did you lose your hearing anyway?

in a way that was entirely worth it. the greatest weapon in the military. i was a 50 cal gunner for about 8 months, and after that we had a guy that used to be a driver that wasn't in as good as shape as me, but was damn good with the 50, and we were short a dismount, so i sacrificed it for an m249 and a dismount slot for a change of scenery. those little rope seats for the gunner in humvees are uncomfortable as shit. haha. my ears haven't stopped ringing since june of 08 though when we were doing a live fire exercise and i dumped 5 cans on this house in like 2 minutes. haha. i forget about it until someone points it out.

That is awesome. Didn't you wear ear protection though? or is it just not that effective? I always wondered if you can put on music while driving a humvee or a tank or something like that. i couldnt imagine anything cooler than shooting shit with hip-hop or death metal blaring in the background. So can you? or is that a stupid question.

You have to draw the line of determination from desperation. What is truly yours would eventually be yours, and what is not, no matter how hard you try, will never be.